Earthless at El Club in Detroit, MI

Earthless come to Detroit to open the yawning chasm of Black Heaven with a packed house of fans eager for the psychic bliss of heavy jams.

Few bands can cast a transfixing spell with their music like San Diego’s Earthless. The trio put the A in jam. Their new album Black Heaven has captivated diehard fans and drawn more faithful followers with heavy guitar driven music backed up with muscular rhythm. The show at El Club in Detroit kicks off a two-week tour across the country before the band heads across the pond to explore Europe.

Getting the evening off to a running start is The Octopus from Detroit. This band defies categorization. Their music is fat with distortion and oozing fuzz. The guitar of Joe Frezzato and keyboards of Adam Cox lend a psychedelic undercurrent to the pulsing rhythm of Todd Glass (drums) and Matt O’Brien (bass). Masha Marjieh’s vocals give the band’s performance the radiance and vital power. Check out The Octopus’s album Supernatural Alliance on Rise Above Records for a huge hit of heavy rock.

Timmy’s Organism have a strong fan base who have filled up El Club. Timmy Vulgar (guitar/vocals) puts his guitar into hyper-overdrive to sizzle the air with squealing histrionics. Fans are grooving to the supercharged garage rock with a penchant for punk. The guttural bass of Jeff Fournier combined with the brisk drums of Blake Hill put the spike in the electric acid kool-aid of Timmy’s Organism. Timmy fires up a smoke bomb at the end of his guitar to end the show in a sulfuric smoking reek of ecstasy.

Bathed in lights of purple and blue, Earthless take the stage and proceed to send us all on a spiritual journey. Our trip begins with the echoing feedback of Isaiah Mitchell’s guitar conjuring “Uluru Rock”. This spacious jam exposes the beauty within the music of Earthless. The singing guitar soaring above a rolling sea of drums and bass is intoxicating and life-affirming. Mario Rubalcaba (drums) and Mike Eginton (bass) seem to have a single mind as they push and pull the tempo of the music while Mitchell paints notes with his bluesy guitar.

The strapping grooves of “Black Heaven” have the audience moving with the music. Earthless take this song for a ride as each member of the band lets the song fold and unfold while we all stare in stunned admiration. Isaiah takes to the mic on “Electric Flame” and “Gifted by the Wind” off their latest Black Heaven album. These songs are magnetic live. Mario and Mike move the music as Isaiah’s voice and guitar tell stories of loss and hope.

Earthless finish their main set with the stellar “Violence of the Red Sea”. Cheering fans pull the band back for an encore which includes the good-time jam of “Volt Rush” and the electric “Cherry Red” before calling it a night. On this night at El Club in Detroit, Earthless give us a beautiful hard rock meditation to soothe our souls.

About The Author

Chuck is a native Michigander. He grew up in Detroit, and later Pinckney. He now calls Ann Arbor home. Running is in Chuckâ€™s blood. He has run several marathons and numerous other races. His favorite race is Dances with Dirt in Hell, Michigan. Chuck was first exposed to photography in 7th grade. He has been a photographer ever since, honing his skills shooting landscapes and most recently concerts. In addition to experiencing music from behind the camera, Chuck is a musician in his own right. He has been playing guitar since his teen years. He played in Detroit area metal band, Battalion, recorded two independent releases, and toured. Today when not covering concerts, you can find him online at his blog, Life In Michigan.